YouTube streamlines site

Later today, YouTube plans to unveil a redesign of the video site, the payoff of a nine-month effort aimed at improving user engagement.

The various tweaks, revealed in a sneak peak to media this morning, reflect more of a chisel than hammer approach: a shrunken masthead and expanded search tool; comments helpfully organized by categories like highest rated and most recent; a cleaner and easier to navigate “related videos” area; and a new box above the video screen that allows users to browse for the next clip as they watch the current one.

The San Bruno company said that early tests show the changes boosted playbacks — and thus the amount of time people spend on the site — by 6 percent.

The redesign makes “the watch page less about the video and more about you,” said Shiva Rajaraman, YouTube product manager, during a press conference call.